Could it be you? National Lottery players fail to claim £128million in prizes in a year

Could it be you? National Lottery players fail to claim £128million in prizes in a year 

Britons failed to claim £128million in National Lottery prizes last year - while scratchcard and ticket sales hit record highs, new figures have revealed.

More than £1.4billion has gone unclaimed since the games started 22 years ago in 1994 - a rate of more than £75million every year.

Read More:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/22/could-it-be-you-national-lottery-players-fail-to-claim-128millio/

Pay Your Attention :Electronic Voting Machines

Pay Your Attention :Electronic Voting Machines

Q1. What is an Electronic Voting machine? In what way its functioning is different from the conventional system of voting?

Ans. An Electronic Voting Machine consists of two Units – a Control Unit and a Balloting Unit – joined by a five-meter cable. The Control Unit is with the Presiding Officer or a Polling Officer and the Balloting Unit is placed inside the voting compartment. Instead of issuing a ballot paper, the Polling Officer in-charge of the Control Unit will press the Ballot Button. This will enable the voter to cast his vote by pressing the blue button on the Balloting Unit against the candidate and symbol of his choice.

Q2. When was the EVM first introduced in elections?

Ans. EVMs manufactured in 1989-90 were used on experimental basis for the first time in 16 Assembly Constituencies in the States of Madhya Pradesh (5), Rajasthan (5) and NCT of Delhi (6) at the General Elections to the respective Legislative Assemblies held in November, 1998.

Q3. How can EVMs be used in areas where there is no electricity?

Ans. EVMs run on an ordinary 6 volt alkaline battery manufactured by Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore and Electronic Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad. Therefore, even in areas with no power connections, EVMs can be used.

Q4. What is the maximum number of votes which can be cast in EVMs?

Ans. EVMs can record a maximum of 3840 votes. As normally the total number of electors in a polling station will not exceed 1500, the capacity of EVMs is more than sufficient.

Q5. What is the maximum number of candidates which EVMs can cater to?

Ans. EVMs can cater to a maximum of 64 candidates. There is provision for 16 candidates in a Balloting Unit. If the total number of candidates exceeds 16, a second Balloting Unit can be linked parallel to the first Balloting Unit. Similarly, if the total number of candidates exceeds 32, a third Balloting Unit can be attached and if the total number of candidates exceeds 48, a fourth Balloting Unit can be attached to cater to a maximum of 64 candidates.

Q6. What will happen if the number of contesting candidates in a constituency goes beyond 64?

Ans. In case the number of contesting candidates goes beyond 64 in any constituency, EVMs cannot be used in such a constituency. The conventional method of voting by means of ballot box and ballot paper will have to be adopted in such a constituency.

Q7. What will happen if the EVM in a particular polling station goes out of order?

Ans. An Officer is put on duty to cover about 10 polling stations on the day of poll. He will be carrying spare EVMs and the out-of-order EVM can be replaced with a new one. The votes recorded until the stage when the EVM went out of order will be safe in the memory of the Control Unit and it will be sufficient to proceed with the polling after the EVM went out of order. It is not necessary to start the poll from the beginning.

Q8. Who has the devised the EVMs?

Ans. The EVMs have been devised and designed by Election Commission in collaboration with two Public Sector undertakings viz., Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore and Electronic Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad after a series of meetings, test-checking of the prototypes and extensive field trials. The EVMs are now manufactured by the above two undertakings.

Q9. What is the cost of the machines? Is it not too expensive to use EVMs?

Ans. The cost per EVM (One Control Unit, one Balloting Unit and one battery) was Rs.5,500/- at the time the machines were purchased in 1989-90. Even though the initial investment is somewhat heavy, this is more than neutralised by the savings in the matter of printing of ballot papers in lakhs, their transportation, storage etc., and the substantial reduction in the counting staff and the remuneration paid to them. 

Q10. In our country a sizeable section of the population being illiterate will it not cause problems for the illiterate voters?

Ans. In fact, voting by EVMs is simpler compared to the conventional system, where one has to put the voting mark on or near the symbol of the candidate of his choice, fold it first vertically and then horizontally and thereafter put it into the ballot box. In EVMs, the voter has to simply press the blue button against the candidate and symbol of his choice and the vote is recorded. Rural and illiterate people had no difficulty in recording their votes and, in fact they have welcomed the use of EVMs.

Q11. Can booth – capturing be prevented by the use of EVMs?

Ans. By booth-capturing, if one means, taking away or damaging of ballot boxes or ballot papers, this evil cannot be prevented by the use of EVMs as EVMs can also be forcibly taken away or damaged by miscreants. But if one looks at booth capturing as a case of miscreants intimidating the polling personnel and stamping the ballot papers on the symbol and escaping in a matter of minutes, this can be prevented by the use of EVMs. The EVMs are programmed in such a way that the machines will record only five votes in a minute. As recording of votes has necessarily to be through Control Unit and Balloting Unit, whatever be the number of miscreants they can record vote only at the rate of 5 per minute. In the case of ballot papers, the miscreants can distribute all the 1000 odd ballot papers assigned to a polling station, among themselves, stamp them, stuff them into the ballot boxes and run away before the police reinforcements reach. In half- an –hour, the miscreants can record only a maximum of 150 votes by which time, chances are the police reinforcement would have arrived. Further, the presiding Officer or one of the Polling Officers can always press the "close" button as soon as they see some intruders inside the polling station. It will not be possible to record any vote when once the ‘close’ button is pressed and this will frustrate the efforts of the booth-capturers.

Q12. Is it possible to use EVMs for simultaneous elections for Parliament and State Legislative Assembly?

Ans. Yes

It is possible to use EVMs for simultaneous elections for Parliament and State Legislative Assembly and the existing EVMs have been designed keeping this requirement in view.

Q13. What are the advantages in using EVMs?

Ans. The most important advantage is that the printing of millions of ballot papers can be dispensed with, as only one ballot paper is required for fixing on the Balloting Unit at each polling station instead of one ballot paper for each individual elector. This results in huge savings by way of cost of paper, printing, transportation, storage and distribution. Secondly, counting is very quick and the result can be declared within 2 to 3 hours as compared to 30-40 hours, on an average, under the conventional system. Thirdly, there are no invalid votes under the system of voting under EVMs. The importance of this will be better appreciated, if it is remembered that in every General Election, the number of invalid votes is more than the winning margin between the winning candidate and the second candidate, in a number of constituencies. To this extent, the choice of the electorate will be more correctly reflected when EVMs are used.

Q14. Does the use of EVMs slow down the pace of poll?

Ans. No

In fact the pace of poll is quickened by the use of EVMs as it is not necessary for the voter to first unfold the ballot paper, mark his preference, fold it again, go to the place where the ballot box is kept and drop it in the box. What he has to do under the system of EVMs is simply to press the button near the candidate and symbol of his choice.

Q15. With ballot boxes counting is done after mixing the ballot papers. Is it possible to adopt this system when EVMs are used?

Ans. The normal rule is to count the votes polling station-wise and this is what is being done when EVM is used in each polling station. The mixing system of counting is done only in those constituencies specially notified by the Election Commission. Even in such cases, the result from each EVM can be fed into a Master Counting Machine in which case, only the total result of an Assembly Constituency will be known and not the result in each individual polling station.

Q16. How long the Control Unit stores the result in its memory?

Ans. The Control Unit can store the result in its memory for 10 years and even more.

Q17. Wherever an election petition is filed, the result of the election is subject to the final outcome. The courts, in appropriate cases, may order a recount of votes. Whether EVMs can be stored for such a long time and whether the result can be taken in the presence of the officers authorised by Courts? Will not the battery leak or otherwise damage EVMs?

Ans. The battery is required only to activate the EVMs at the time of polling and counting. As soon as the polling is over, the battery can be switched off and this will be required to be switched on only at the time of counting. The battery can be removed as soon as the result is taken and can be kept separately. Therefore, there is no question of battery leaking or otherwise damaging EVMs. Even when the battery is removed the memory in the microchip remains intact. If the Court orders a recount, the Control Unit can be reactivated by fixing the battery and it will display the result stored in the memory.

Q18. Is it possible to vote more than once by pressing the button again and again?

Ans. No

As soon as a particular button on the Balloting Unit is pressed, the vote is recorded for that particular candidate and the machine gets locked. Even if one presses that button further or any other button, no further vote will be recorded. This way the EVMs ensure the principle of "one man, one vote".

Q19. How can a voter be sure that the EVM is working and his vote has been recorded?

Ans. As soon as the voter presses the `blue button’ against the candidate and symbol of his choice, a tiny lamp on the left side of the symbol glows red and simultaneously a long beep sound is heard. Thus, there is both audio and visual indications for the voter to be assured that his vote has been recorded.

Q20. Is it true that sometimes because of short-circuitry or other reason, a voter is likely to get an electric shock while pressing the `blue button ?

Ans. No

EVMs work on a 6-volt battery and there is absolutely no chance of any voter getting an electric shock at the time of pressing the `blue button’ or at any time of handling the balloting unit.

Q21. Is it possible to program the EVMs in such a way that initially, say upto 100 votes, votes will be recorded exactly in the same way as the `blue buttons’ are pressed, but thereafter, votes will be recorded only in favor of one particular candidate irrespective of whether the `blue button’ against that candidate or any other candidate is pressed?

Ans. The microchip used in EVMs is sealed at the time of import. It cannot be opened and any rewriting of program can be done by anyone without damaging the chip. There is, therefore, absolutely no chance of programming the EVMs in a particular way to select any particular candidate or political party.

Q22. Will it not be difficult to transport the EVMs to the polling stations?

Ans. No

Rather it will be easier to transport the EVMs compared to ballot boxes as EVMs are lighter, portable and come with polypropylene carrying cases.

Q23. In many areas of the country, there is no electricity connection and even in those places where there is electricity connection, power supply is erratic. In this scenario will it not create problem in storing the machines without air conditioning?

Ans. There is no need to air condition the room/hall where EVMs are stored. What is required is only to keep the room/hall free from dust dampness and rodents as in the case of ballot boxes.

Q24. In the conventional system, it will be possible to know the total number of votes polled at any particular point of time. In EVMs ‘Result’ portion is sealed and will be opened only at the time of counting. How can the total number of votes polled be known on the date of poll?

Ans. In addition to the ‘Result’ button, there is a ‘total’ button on EVMs. By pressing this button the total number of votes polled upto the time of pressing the button will be displayed without indicating the candidate-wise tally.

Q25. The Balloting Unit has provision for 16 candidates. In a constituency, there are only 10 candidates. The voter may press any of the buttons from 11 to 16. Will these votes not be wasted?

Ans. No

The panels for candidates Nos. 11 to 16 will be masked before use. Further, recording of votes for candidates 11 to 16 will also be blanked off electronically, as the candidates’ switch is set on 10. Therefore, there is no question of any voter pressing any of the buttons for candidates 11 to 16 or the votes for these candidates being recorded in the EVMs.

Q26. Ballot boxes are engraved so as to avoid any scope for complaint of replacement of these boxes. Is there any system of numbering EVMs?

Ans. Yes

Each Control Unit has a unique ID Number, which is painted on each unit with a permanent marker. This ID Number will be allowed to be noted by the Polling Agents and will also be recorded in a Register maintained for the purpose by the Returning Officer. The address tag attached to the Control Unit also will indicate this ID Number. Therefore, there is no question of replacement of any EVM.

Q27. Is there any provision for issue of tendered ballot papers when EVMs are used?

Ans. Yes

There is provision for issue of tendered ballot papers under the system of EVMs also. But, when such a situation arises, the voter concerned will be issued an ordinary ballot paper. After marking the ballot paper with the arrow cross mark rubber stamp supplied, the tendered ballot paper will be put inside a cover specially provided for the purpose, sealed and kept by the Presiding Officer.

Q28. In the conventional system, before the commencement of poll, the Presiding Officer shows to the polling agents present that the ballot box to be used in the polling station is empty. Is there any such provision to satisfy the polling agents that there are no hidden votes already recorded in the EVMs?

Ans. Yes

Before the commencement of poll, the Presiding Officer demonstrates to the polling agents present that there are no hidden votes already recorded in the machine by pressing the result button. Thereafter, he will conduct a mock poll by asking the polling agents to record their votes and will take the result to satisfy them that the result shown is strictly according to the choice recorded by them. Thereafter, the Presiding Officer will press the clear button to clear the result of the mock poll before commencing the actual poll.

Q29. How can one rule out the possibility of recording further votes at any time after close of the poll and before the commencement of counting by interested parties?

Ans. As soon as the last voter has voted, the Polling Officer in-charge of the Control Unit will press the ‘Close’ Button. Thereafter, the EVM will not accept any vote. Further, after the close of poll, the Balloting Unit is disconnected from the Control Unit and kept separately. Votes can be recorded only through the Balloting Unit. Again the Presiding officer, at the close of the poll, will hand over to each polling agent present an account of votes recorded. At the time of counting of votes, the total will be tallied with this account and if there is any discrepancy, this will be pointed out by the Counting Agents.

Source:http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/evm.aspx

Pay Your Attention:Tamil Nadu Election Commission Partners Facebook to Boost Voter Turnout

Pay Your Attention:Tamil Nadu Election Commission Partners Facebook to Boost Voter Turnout

After joining hands with Twitter, Election Commission Monday announced its partnership with Facebook to reach out to 31 percent of the electorate in Tamil Nadu and achieve 100 percent turnout.

Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni and Director of Public Policy (India, South and Central Asia), Facebook, Ankhi Das in a joint press conference announced the partnership.

Lakhoni said this was part of the Commission's 'Tamil Nadu 100 percent' (100 percent in registration, voting and honesty-ethical voting) initiative for the May 16 polls.

The move comes after EC's tie-up with Twitter last month to give a fillip to its #TN100percent campaign.

Stating that her company was delighted to partner with EC, Das said from May 15 onwards Facebook users will see news feed reminders with informational links about their polling stations.

Such messages will remind and ask them to vote, she added.

She also said out of the 15 million electors added to rolls in Tamil Nadu during the last five years, 14 million of them were in the age group of 18 to 29. "Our joint awareness campaign will help achieve EC's goal of 100 percent voter turnout."

The social networking website said it was in talks with Kerala as well.

Replying to a query, she said, "we are in talks with election authorities in other states. We have arrangement in Puducherry, we are in talks with Kerala, but we are yet to formalise the arrangement."

"I think Tamil Nadu is the first state in terms of being so forward leaning (in partnering with Facebook)."

CEO said, "Roughly there are 1.8 crore Facebook users in Tamil Nadu and approximately 5.79 crore voters, so it (Facebook users) accounts to about 31 percent."

"So voters who are in Facebook will get reminders through one partnership and that is something really outstanding," he said.

To another question, he said,"my vote is not for sale (campaign) from April 14 will automatically get promoted on Facebook and celebrity videos, discussions and competitions will all be featured in our Facebook page."

On announcing results on FB, CEO Lakhoni said "election results can be announced live on Facebook, they are for it, we are also okay with it, we can reach so many people."

He said poll results were of interest not only to residents of the state, where it was held but also to those living elsewhere.

Responding to a question on poll-related ads on social media, he said the Commission has begun sending notices to those who had posted poll-related advertisements in social media without taking permission.

Stating that election is "run through Model Code," he said social media advertisement also needed certification before it was put out online.

"We have already started giving notices to people saying you have put out advertisements without permission and we will be watching," he said.

"If people are not taking certification, we have two teams that are watching and we are integrating another company which is putting together anything on TN elections and that will come to us," he said adding the firm will be made known soon.

There are instructions that any form of promotion that went on electronic media must be certified and he reiterated that "we are and will be watching."

He further said, the Madras High Court, a few days ago, in an interim order had banned putting up flex-boards, and hoardings on foot-paths, roadsides and road margins.

"Based on HC order, we have sent circulars to district collectors that now onwards they cannot grant permission for hoardings in specified locations."

CEO said the court has banned all kinds of hoarding, including political.

He, however, said parties may put up such propaganda materials in the venue of rallies and public meetings.

On unaccounted cash, he said out of the Rs. 21.8 crore cash seized in the state by the Commission, Rs. 16.2 crore has been released to its owners on production of supporting documents, he added.

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Pay Your Attention: Balancing your Business

Pay Your Attention: Balancing your Business

For those of us who have been in business for less than ten years, figuring out how to keep a grip on who you are as a person and who you are as a business professional is a daunting task. When you get a moment to relax and unwind, your mind tends to drift towards your next best move in business. And when you are engulfed in getting our daily “to-do” lists completed in business, you long for a moment of blissful relaxation. That’s how we do, right?

Because I once found myself playing this balancing act between roles, I have discovered a small list of tips I used to keep my playing field leveled.

1. Delegate where you can. 

It may seem tough to relinquish control of your business into someone else’s hands, but every now and then, you have to learn to let go. The key to longevity in business is duplicating yourself so when it is time for you to step away, you can do so without worry because you’ve left your business in knowledgeable hands. Think of ways you can appoint small tasks to an intern or part-time assistant. Trust me, this small step will take you a long way.

2. Be present in the moment.

This one is huge but simple. FOCUS! When you’re at work, be at work. Avoid handling personal matters while your attention should be focused on producing a profitable business and vice versa. When you’re “off” and handling your personal affairs, try not to tackle your business to-do list. Avoid multitasking between business and personal. Multitasking makes you good at many things and great a very little. The goal is to be great in all areas of your life. Allow your mind and body the satisfaction of enjoying the day as it comes. This will help you appreciate your journey even more.

3. When you create your schedule, plan time just for you.

Don’t make this one harder than it is. When you sit down to map out your week, make sure you set, at least, an hour a day to do something you enjoy doing. Yes, we all like making money, but this activity you choose to do cannot be something you do for pay. It needs to be something you can do “just because.” Go bowling. Get a massage. Instead of reading a personal development book, read a fantasy novel. When you plan your hour, stick to it! Treat your personal hour like you would treat an appointment with a client. Would you cancel on a client for any random reason? If not, why cancel on yourself?

4. Focus on what’s urgent, not important. 

The problem with most of us is that we fail to prioritize. We have a hard time sticking to the “script” because everything magically becomes a big deal. Let’s be clear, in business, it’s important to have a schedule. In our personal lives, it’s important to have structure. When you make out your to-do lists, life or death situations (literally and figuratively) come first; for example, doctor appointments and bill pay. These things are urgent as they are necessary.Next comes the things that need to be done, but don’t have to be rushed; for example, meeting for a leisure lunch, organizing client files, or doing absolutely nothing. These are the things you can go without or delegate so you can get urgent tasks cleared.

At the end of the day, as people and as professionals, we only desire the best for ourselves. We must remember that being the best in multiple arenas is possible if we plan and prepare for it. If balance is what you seek, start implementing these steps one at a time until you have solidified your own balancing routine. As small business owners and entrepreneurs, we all have times we must “do all” and “be all” so let’s focus on ways to make “who we be” easier and better.

Pay Your Attention: Do you want to reach with your message to Media

Pay Your Attention: Do you want to reach with your message to Media

Getting Your Message Out Through the Media

by Nedra Kline Weinreich

While many consider the media a fearsome adversary, it can be a powerful ally if approached strategically. Carefully considering your answers to the following questions will help you build a strategy for working with media professionals to get your message out to the people you want to reach.

1. Why do you want media attention?

Your organization's goals will point you to the most appropriate media strategies. Do you want to build awareness of your program within the community? Promote a particular attitude or behavior? Advocate for policy change? The answers to these questions will shape whom you want to reach with your message and which media outlets you target. For example, parents of young children probably have very different viewing and reading habits than State legislators.

2. What is your "news?"

Often, what we consider newsworthy and exciting in our own programs would make a reporter yawn. The news media have their own criteria for judging what is worth covering, so to get their attention you will need to frame the issue in an appealing way. Try to find a current news issue, event, or annual celebration that you can use as a "peg" for your story. For example, if the media brings attention to a case of child maltreatment in your community, use this as an opportunity to talk about preventing child abuse. Provide a local angle to national news stories, such as a family in jeopardy because Congress may cut funding for your program. The media like stories with conflict, human interest, novelty, or superlatives (biggest, best, etc.).

3. What type of media coverage do you want?

The term "media" refers to many different types of entities--radio, television, newspapers, magazines--that vary extensively within each category. Each of these channels provides different opportunities to reach particular audiences with a specific type of message. If you want to ensure that your message is stated in the best possible way, you may consider submitting an opinion editorial (op-ed) stating your position on an issue to the newspaper, writing a letter to the editor, or creating a public service announcement (PSA). A news format provides greater credibility and exposure, but you will have less control over the content and slant of the story.

4. Whom will you contact in the media?

The key to implementing your media strategy is getting your information to the right people at the right places. Your public library should have media reference books listing the media outlets in your area, such as television and radio stations, daily and weekly newspapers, college newspapers, regional magazines, and news wire services. Call each outlet to find out who covers children and family issues, health and welfare, violence, or other topics of interest to your program. Ask about deadlines, audience demographics, preferences for receiving information (e.g., phone, fax, or mail), options for submitting opinion pieces, and other special formats, such as community calendars, that you can use.

5. How will you contact the media?

Once you have identified your media contacts, start to establish beneficial working relationships with them before you need to pitch them a story. Write to reporters or producers who cover your issues to give them reactions to their stories and provide them with an information packet on your organization for future reference. When you have news or an event to promote, send out a press release or news advisory containing the most important information to your media list. Follow up with a phone call as close to the event as possible. Most news organizations work under tight timeframes, so ask if the person is on deadline before going into your pitch. Be ready to follow up with additional information, and be enthusiastic about the topic as you explain why it is newsworthy.

6. What do you have to offer?

Keep in mind that the news media need people like you to help them fill column inches and airtime. You know the topic, you have ideas for interesting stories, and you have access to the people the stories are about. Succinct information, such as fact sheets and backgrounders, will help the reporter quickly understand the issue. The more "pieces" of the story you can provide--real people affected by the issue, experts, copies of relevant studies--the more likely it will be covered. If you want television coverage, make sure you have visuals to offer, such as children playing at a family support center, a counselor speaking with parents, or other compelling action shots.

7. How will you respond when the media call you?

Even if you do not actively seek them out, the media may come to you for information or your reaction to a news story. When this happens, do not panic! Designate a contact within your organization who is comfortable talking to the media and has the authority to speak for the organization. Always be honest, and if you don't know the answer to a question, say so. Find out the reporter's deadline and either call back with the answer or make a referral to other sources who could speak on that point. Speak in plain English, without jargon or acronyms, and repeat your main message in different ways. Avoid mumbling or speaking too fast when talking to media that will edit tape for "sound bites." Once you establish yourself as a credible, reliable source, the media will continue to come to you on related stories and will be more receptive to your own story ideas.

8. Which media strategies can your available resources support?

Although getting news coverage is often thought of as free publicity, those press conferences, news releases, and slick media kits aren't cheap! The resources and effort your staff puts in makes it "earned media" rather than free. But when you compare the price of these activities to that of a mass media campaign and/or buying airtime or advertising space, pitching stories seems like a bargain. Of course, there is a time and place for investing in such a campaign if you have the resources; when done well, you can reach large numbers of people in your target audience with your carefully crafted message. Make sure, in any case, that your organization has the capacity to respond if your chosen strategy is successful. If you are promoting a phone number to order a brochure or to speak with a counselor, for example, be prepared with adequate staff and phone lines as well as a large supply of brochures.

9. What other sources of free publicity are available in your community?

Your community may have many media resources available to organizations like yours free of charge. Many cable companies provide free production facilities and airtime on their public access channel; for very little expense, your organization could develop programs on various topics. Local radio and television talk shows often look for guests with interesting stories or strong opinions on community issues. Public transit systems often offer free public service advertising space on their buses or subways. Television stations may be willing to work with your organization to create and air an ongoing campaign, giving your message better exposure than if you had sent your own public service announcements. Businesses might co-sponsor your campaign, supermarkets could place your message on their grocery bags, fast food restaurants could put your design on their placemats. Be creative and don't be afraid to ask for what you want . . . the worst they can say is "no" and more likely it will be "yes."

10. How will you know if you've been effective?

Look back at your chosen media strategies. Did you achieve the goals and objectives you laid out? You can track the number of media "hits," or responses to your pitches, using clippings bureaus. These companies scan metropolitan and local community newspapers, television and radio news, and news wire services to provide you with clippings or transcripts of all stories mentioning your organization, a specific event, or topics of interest. If your goal was to increase the number of clients signing up for a program, look at enrollment before and after your media activities. If you wanted to increase community awareness of an issue, conduct a before-and-after survey to evaluate your campaign. Have the media come to rely on you as a trusted source? Has the level of attention to your issue heightened in the media since you began your efforts? You may be successful on many different levels, so be sure to identify all your accomplishments. Use each encounter with the media as a learning experience for the future.

Nedra Kline Weinreich developed these tips for the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information, a service of the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Source:http://www.social-marketing.com/media.html

Pay Your Attention: Why We Need 5G Wireless

Pay Your Attention: Why We Need 5G Wireless 

Ready for 5G?

A new generation of wireless is rolling out, and the vision is that any device of any significant value will not only be connected to the Internet, but continuously monitored as part of an Internet of Things comprising everything from self-driving cars to industrial machines to household appliances.

And, of course, your smartphone, which in many cases will be your access point to all things.

How’s this going to affect your business? Before answering that, here are answers to a few other questions that may help you understand how, and not if, 5G will play a fundamental role not just in how we work, but how we live day-to-day.

Wasn’t It Just a Few Years Ago That 4G Rolled Out? 

Right. 4G (“G” stands for generation), while available in the U.S. since 2008, first started to roll out more widely in 2011 as mobile carriers upgraded their networks to accommodate data speeds up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), compared to the previous generation where speeds could be as slow as 3.84 Mbps.

Five years may not seem like so long ago, but in Internet time it is a millennium.

However, as SearchMobileComputing.com notes, “From the consumer's point of view, 4G is more a marketing term than a technical specification, but carriers feel justified in using the 4G label because it lets the consumer know that he can expect significantly faster data speeds.”

While a 4G network is theoretically capable of delivering speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G, in actual practice most users won’t experience anything near that for a variety of technical reasons. In some circumstances, it could even actually be slower.

According to Ed Robinson of Riverbed Technology, “In the real world, a 4G network delivers maybe three to five Mbps, and 3G networks two to three Mbps.

This is due to distance from the cell tower, interference from walls and objects, and people moving while using their device. Real world things.”

So, Is This 5G Thing All Hype as Well?

Yes and no. The Economist notes that there is still discussion about standards among wireless carriers and telecommunications firms, all of which have their own self-interest to advocate:

“However, the hope burns bright that, unlike previous generations of mobile technology, 5G will be a true global standard, allowing travelers to use their personal phones anywhere in the world, without the hassle of having to swap their SIM cards for local ones bought on arrival.”

Moreover, 5G promises significant improvements in “latency” (i.e., responsiveness) of about one millisecond, compared to 50 milliseconds for 4G and 500 milliseconds on 3G.

A bump in the data rate from 10 to 100 megabits on the current networks to at least a gigabyte at first is also expected.

What Do I Care About a Few Milliseconds or Gigabytes?

Remember when people bought mobile phones just to talk? Remember when not everyone even had a mobile phone?

Today, nobody talks on their phones as much as they text, send videos, watch television shows and movies, shop online, and update their Facebook page.

Rising data usage requires faster and more capable networks to transmit it. As does the increasing number of people using mobile devices. 

In 2010 in the U.S. alone there were some 62 million users, compared to some 190 million in 2015, with nearly 250 million projected by 2019 (and two billion worldwide).

Related Article: Embracing Something New: 5 Ways to Make Innovation Part of Your Business Strategy

As CNET writer Roger Cheng points out, the potential of 5G is that, ”The increased speed and responsiveness may supercharge today's emerging tech trends: the Internet of Things, or the idea that everyday objects like your refrigerator or bed can talk to each other; self-driving cars; and virtual reality, which employs super sharp imagery to place you in another world.”

When Can We Expect 5G to Arrive?

AT&T has already announced field trials of 5G in Austin by summer of this year. While some carriers are projecting preliminary rollouts as early as 2017, most likely in high-density urban areas, widespread worldwide availability is more likely (some would say optimistically) around 2020.

And Why Do I Need to Think About This Now?

Well, it needn’t be on top of your list, but it is something to think about getting ready for. As Slate senior technology writer Will Oremus points out, “5G technology [...] won’t just mean faster downloads on your phone. It will enable a whole new class of connected devices, including wearables, household gadgets, and industrial sensors.”

This Internet of Things connectivity is also an essential technology for the future of self-driving cars, where near instant handling of data is absolutely essential to passenger safety.

I’m Not in the Automotive Industry, So Why Exactly Is This Going to Affect My Business?

Because, as Erricsson CEO Hans Vestberg points out, “2G, 3G and 4G were designed for consumers, with better throughput and higher speeds. 5G is designed for the industrial Internet.”

Related Article: What Are the Technology Trends That Will Change the Business Landscape in 2016?

Here’s how that could affect your business:

• Wider acceptance of mobile payment systems. If you don’t accept them now, soon you won’t have much choice.
• Real-time sensing of manufacturing processes with the ability to make instant adjustments to improve productivity and efficiency. Even if you aren’t manufacturing your product, you can easily monitor those who do. And make changes directly without going through an intermediary.
• Video streaming and virtual reality as marketing tools. Provide a high-quality, hands-on product demo or sales pitch anywhere, anytime, at a moment’s notice. No need to leave your office!
• Worldwide, standardized  coverage. T3's David Nield notes that means “blanket coverage that stays with you and doesn't drop out as you move, in theory, that should mean very few dead spots, no matter where in the world you are. Satellite technology may be incorporated to help increase coverage.” International markets become more accessible with even greater connectivity.
• Even higher expectations. If you get annoyed now that your text or email hasn’t been answered in, say, five minutes, it’s going to get even worse when 5G data speeds become commonplace. Customer responsiveness becomes even more “mission critical” than it already is.
• If you aren’t based somewhere that has access to a 5G network, you may need to move to somewhere that does. Because if your competitors are taking advantage of these new functionalities, you’d better as well.

And You’ll Need New Stuff to Do All This

Perhaps the biggest effect on your bottom line will be the need to buy new equipment that is 5G-capable and compatible.

For example, CCS Insight predicts the number of virtual reality devices will grow from 2.2 million last year to 20 million in 2018, with smartphone-based devices representing the vast majority. Your 4G device simply isn’t going to be cut it.

The good news is that right now you needn’t feel as if you have to wait to buy new equipment. In fact, what you buy today will probably approach the end of its life cycle about the time 5G starts to arrive.

But as widespread deployment gets closer, that’s going to be more of a consideration. For now though, the future of 5G is just in the “wait and see” stage.

Source:Business.com 

Pay Your Attention:What Causes Attention Disorders

Pay Your Attention:What Causes Attention Disorders

THE CAUSE(S) OF ATTENTION DISORDERS

The term, ADHD, is really a misnomer. It's not really a disorder. By definition, a disorder has certain characteristic symptoms (signs and behaviors that are "abnormal"), a predictable natural history (what happens over time without treatment), and a common underlying cause ("etiology"). Treatment, if any, is directed to modify the symptoms or alter the underlying cause of the disorder.

Instead, ADHD is a symptom complex, and the diagnosis is based on the presence of a sufficient number and severity of the symptoms that are listed in the current diagnostic handbook (DSM IV) that clinicians use. However, this exact complex of symptoms has many very different causes (etiologies) that have different natural histories, and respond to very different treatments.

There are many possible causes of attention problems, including:

a) it's normal, age appropriate behavior that is mislabeled; most of the overly active, difficult-to-manage children don't have ADHD;

Case illustration: Sue was a very intelligent, active, intrusive, and somewhat "bossy" six years old girl who was a "management" problem at home and in school. She always wanted to do it herself and didn’t "listen well". Her parents tended to be inconsistent in their behavior management attempts and to be easily irritated by her. Her teacher was boringly repetitive and pedantic. Sue didn’t have ADHD- she was what Linda Budd called "active alert". Perfectly normal. Things improved considerably with some behavior management counseling for the parents and consultation with the teacher.

Note: Linda Budd’s books on the active alert child are very, very helpful even if the child does have ADHD.

b) any number of general medical problems (such as anemia, hyperthyroidism, chronic ear infections, and dietary inclusions/sensitivities;

Clinical comment: Dietary sensitivities do exist although they are not very common. One of our studies done some years ago revealed that only one of twenty children whose ADHD symptoms reportedly "responded" to dietary management did, indeed, respond sufficiently to changes of diet.

c) many medications (such as anticonvulsants, antihistamines, and psychodepressants that sedate or slow the brain);

Comment: Since these medications are often necessary for the general well being of the person, it’s important to use the lowest effective dose to minimize side effects.

d) toxic conditions (drug induced or an illness);

e) sensory deficits (like undetected hearing and visual impairments) and sensory hypersensitivities;

Comment: The clinician needs to consider all of these potential problems when evaluating attention.

f) neurological problems other than ADHD, such as visual and/or auditory distractibility, sleep disturbances (including narcolepsy), epilepsy, "acquired/traumatic" or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI);

Case illustration: A successful professional was seriously injured in an auto accident in which close relatives were killed. He was evaluated by teams of professionals, and, although he'd had a severe concussion, there was no sign of brain damage or memory impairment. His recovery was slow but steady with many surgeries, medications, and rehabilitation interventions. Several years later, he was telling a friend, a psychologist, that in spite of grief counseling, he remained "depressed"- he felt preoccupied and was distractible, frequently off task, disorganized, and easily bored. These are symptoms of depression, and they are also symptoms of ADHD, inattentive type. When his friend referred him for an ADHD assessment, it was discovered that the evaluation obtained after the accident did not include a T.O.V.A. even though brain injuries can cause ADHD. It turned out that he did have traumatic ADHD, and his symptoms responded to treatment.

g) family style and (dis)organization (including social and cultural factors);

h) lack of school readiness, different learning style, and low motivation;

Comment: Some individuals learn best with a "hands on" experience rather than hearing or reading about it.

i) stress (including emotional trauma and inappropriate demands);

j) intellectual impairment and precocity;

k) learning disabilities;

l) other psychiatric conditions including abuse/post traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, bipolar or obsessive-compulsive disorders, autism, Tourette, depression, and anxiety;

Comment: A multi-faceted clinical evaluation is needed to determine whether one or more of these conditions exist with or without ADHD.

m) substance use, abuse, and withdrawal (including caffeine and nicotine);

Comment: Substance use and abuse are common in untreated individuals with ADHD, and the co-existence of ADHD makes the treatment of substance abuse more difficult. Although it seems counterintuitive to treat a substrance abuser with ADHD with low doses of psychostimulants (See 13 below), it’s the most effective treatment.

n) behavior disorder including oppositional/defiant;

Case illustration: Jack was six years old when seen by his family physician because of hyperactivity, impulsivity, stealing, and temper tantrums at home and at school where he was not progressing academically. Assuming that Jack had ADHD, combined type, the doctor prescribed 10 mg of methylphenidate (a psychostimulant). Jack initially appeared to be less hyperactive and impulsive. The dosage was increased to 20 mg with minimal improvement and some increase in irritability and sleep disturbance. Jack was subsequently seen for a psychological evaluation and was diagnosed and successfully treated for a behavior (conduct) disorder without medication.

o) and, finally, the neurological disorder of attention or ADHD

To complicate matters even further- these causes are not mutually exclusive. An individual with the ADHD symptom complex could very well have more that one cause co-existing (co-morbidity) and needing more than one treatment modality. Prime examples would low self-esteem and depression. In addition, there can be a genetic component as well since a percentage of individuals with ADHD have close relatives with it also.

Sometimes co-morbid problems, like low self-esteem, are so prominent that the clinician may not recognize the underlying attention disorder. This is often the case in children with the Inattentive Type of ADHD and in adults when ADHD wasn't diagnosed in childhood.

So, it's very important that the clinician carefully considers all of the possible causes of the symptom complex without leaping to a conclusion and prescribing a treatment. Selecting a diagnostician is not an easy task- you want someone who has the necessary expertise. An excellent source of information is The TOVA Company that maintains an up to date directory of clinicians who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of attention disorders, including ADHD. For free recommendations of clinicians in a particular geographical area, please call 1.800.REF.TOVA (800.733.8082).

Source:http://www.tovatest.com/adhd/#index2h2

Pay Your Attention: Five ways of money transfers to choose..

Pay Your Attention: Five ways of money transfers to choose..

Banking on the move is the mantra of today’s busy world, where instant money transactions have begun to dominate the financial discourse between service providers and consumers. One can make use of various online payment channels to transfer funds and to pay bills. However, choosing the right channel can make all the difference between a successful transaction and a frustrating experience.

Here is a look at five money transfer options you can make use of to suit your different banking needs.

NEFT: The National Electronic Funds Transfer system, commonly known as NEFT, is by far the most popular online funds transfer system. You can use NEFT to transfer funds to any other individual or company in India, as majority of bank branches today are NEFT-approved. You can use NEFT to transfer funds as an individual, company, or as a corporate identity to any other by entering their name, bank account number and IFSC code. NEFT transfers funds in hourly batches of twelve settlements between 8 AM to 7 PM on weekdays and six settlements on Saturday. The system has a maximum limit of Rs 10 lakh. It is an ideal way for transferring funds between individuals like your family and friends and to make online payments to a specific receiver.

RTGS: Real Time Gross Settlement, is an online payment system offering instant or real time transfer. Unlike NEFT, there are no hourly batches, so your funds are transferred in real time. RTGS is typically used in business transactions, for immediate clearing of high-value funds. To use RTGS, you will need to transfer more than the minimum stipulated amount of Rs 2 lakh.

IMPS: If you are in a hurry and cannot wait for the hourly NEFT clearance, you can use the IMPS or Interbank Mobile Payment Service. IMPS funds transfers are instant and you can transfer funds even on Sundays and public holidays.

Before using IMPS, you will have to register your mobile phone with your bank branch. The bank branch will then issue you a 7 digit MMID code. You will need to send this code to your receiver to receive funds.

Alternatively, as a sender, you will need to add your recipient’s bank account number and MMID code to transfer instant money to his or her bank account using IMPS. The maximum transaction limit is Rs 2 lakh and transaction is possible only between participating banks as listed on the bank’s websites.

PTC: Pay to Contact, is an easy transfer service that you can use even without internet or data pack. PTC is useful for payment for all kinds of utility bills. You can even recharge your phone or DTH using the service.

You will need to have your mobile phone registered with the bank branch for PTC before using the service. All you need to do is call up your bank branch, select the PTC option and confirm your 4-digit mobile PIN. The system will then automate your payments and pay out your utility bills.

Wallets: If you make frequent payments online and worry about using net banking each time, you can opt for a digital wallet. With a digital wallet, you can make payments across online channels and also transfer money to family and friends to their wallets or bank accounts.

Both banks as well as private players like MobiKwik, PayU, Paytm, and others offer digital wallet services. Money transfers from wallet to wallet are usually free while fund transfers from wallet to bank accounts are charged depending on the wallet concerned. Technology has made banking easy with various fund transfer options. Make use of these instant services and optimise your financial transactions

The writer is founder &CEO, BankBazaar.com

Source:Financial Express

Pay Your Attention:Mobile App Can be used for booking Baxi with smartPhone,No Internet

Pay Your Attention:Mobile App Can be used for booking 'Baxi' with smartPhone,No Internet

NEW DELHI: Gurgaon-based Baxi will roll out a new feature to help users book rides on the app without using Internet.

The bike-taxi hailing app, which offers services in Gurgaon and Faridabad, will make the feature available to its 30,000 users from next week.

"All customers that have an Android smartphone without a data connection can now use the new Baxi app. Customers can also use the app even when their Internet connection isn't working," Baxi co-founder and CTO Manu Rana told PTI.

This feature will help the company reach out to a larger number of customers as they will not have to rely on or spend money on data packs.

Upon opening the app, the user has to press the BOOK button to get the nearest Baxi. If the app is offline, it uses an SMS to send the user's location and request to its server, find the closest Baxi and respond to the user with that information using SMS.

The app reads the SMS and displays the drivers information and location to the user in the same way as it would do in an online booking.

"With this revolutionary innovation, our app is now the first and only taxi-booking app in the world, let alone bike-taxi booking industry, that functions without a data pack or Internet connection," he said.

The company, which plans to extend services to Noida and Ghaziabad later this month, offers rides at base fare of Rs 10, followed by Rs 4 per km and Rs 1 per minute of ride time charges.

Similar to Ola and Uber, Baxi allows users to get rides but on motorbikes.

The company claims it facilitates about 3,000 rides daily in Gurgaon and Faridabad. It had received about USD 1.5 million funding last year from investors including HT Media, Manish Kheterpal (WaterBridge Ventures), Alok Mittal (Indifi Technologies) and Puneet Dalmia (Managing Director of Dalmia Bharat Group).

The transportation space is witnessing intense competition as some of the private equity-backed firms are offering discounted rides and investing heavily in getting more drivers on board.

Other players in the bike-taxi segment include startups like N.O.W and Rideji

Source: Economic Times